Box-labeling machine.



M. J. MILD/IUE.

BOX LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov, 1:,

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

M. J. MILD/IUE.

BOX LABBLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov, 1:, ma

1,126,824, Patend Fb. 1915.

3 SHEBTSSHBET 2.

M. J. MILMOE.

BOX LABBLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I7, 1913. Ih Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

3 SHBETS-SHLET s.

ail*

I, Il i; h1 I @www 5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL J'. MILMOE, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 W. C. RITCHIE t COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BOX-LABELING MACHINE.

Application filed November 17, 1913.

To all 207mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL J. Minima, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Chicago. in the county of Cool( and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Labeling Machines, of which the following is a speci fication.

The'invention relates to label applying mechanism adapted for the automatic application of labels in turn to a succession of articles and has for its object the provision of mechanism operating with certitude and despatch to aflix the labels singly and accurately to the face of the article.

In the art of box making, small boxes, such for instance as are used for cigarettes and by druggists in the filling of -prescriptions, are some times finished interiorly and around the sides with decorative or enameled paper and another sheet or label of substantially the size of the box bottom is applied thereto for finishing purposes, the box being thus supplied to the druggist or other user by whom his own distinctive label is later applied to the top face of the box, or the top or bottom of the boXis supplied at the factory with a finishing sheet or label.

This invention in the preferred embodiment set forth herein for purposes of illustration, is particularly adapted for the application of these so called top labels or finishing sheets to the lids or to the bottoms of small boxes although not limited to such employment.

Moreover as the invention is susceptible of other and varied constructional forms the drawing and description setting forth the preferred embodiment are to be construed in an illustrative and4 not in an unnecessarily limiting sense.

In the drawing-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boX labeling machine constructed according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View; Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views one in side elevation and the (ther in vertical section illustrating the driving mechanism for the pasting device; Fig. (l is a longitudinal section through the label carrier-advancing mechanism; and F ig. 7 is a detail perspective View of one of the parts of the label advancing mechanism.

The machine as illustrated comprises a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

serial No. 801,361.

standard 11 and a bracket l2 which provide journal bearings for the main shaft 13 carrying the fly wheel 14 and cams 15, 16 and 17, said shaft being driven by means of the pulley 18 connected thereto by the clutch mechanism indicated generally at 19 and operated by means of thehand lever 2() through the rock shaft 21 and the link 22, or by means of the treadle 23.

In the machine frame is mounted ,for longitudinal reciprccation a rack bar 24 the said rack bar being connected with a cam rod 25 pivoted at 26 in the machine frame and arranged to be actuated by means of a roller 27 traveling in the groove v28 of the cam 17. The rack bar 24 is provided at its rear end with a cross head 29 slotted at 30 so as to provide for longitudinal and transverse adjustment of a pusher rod 31 which is secured to the cross head by means of a bolt 32 passing through the slet and controlled by the hand wheel 33. Extending longitudinally of the machine upon the two sides'of and parallel to the path of the pusher rod 31 are the guide rails 34 and 35, the former of which may be formed integral with the machine frame or have a fixed relation thereto while the latter is mounted for lateral adjustment to and from the former by means of set screws 3G and 37. These two guide rails define the path or way through the machine for the boxes to be labeled and are provided on their inner, faces near their lower edges with inwardly projecting ribs or flanges upon which the edges of the boxes are supported and adapted to slide. At the rear end of the machine is arranged a box ma azine 38 having its rear wall 39 and one si e wall 40 formed integral while the opposite side wall and the front wall 41 are adjustable, the latter by means of slots 42, to vary the interior dimensions of the magazine so as to adapt the same to the feeding of boxes of different sizes. The mouth of the magaine is controlled by an adjustable plate 4 3 to vary the size of the discharge opening and is disposed above the space between the guide rails 34 and 35 and at a point intermedia-te the two extreme positions of the pusher 31 whereby as the pusher is retracted a box will drop into position andlupon its forward movement will be discharged from the magazine on the way between the guide rails.

Substantially midway of the machine as illustrated and at one side of the path of the. boxes is arrang'ed a vertical standard ,44 and upon this standard is' slidably mountocl a presser block 45 by means of its upper and lower projections 46 and 47 whereby in one position the presser block 45 overlies the path of the boxes, its lowermost position being adjustably defined by means of a set screw 48, while in another position it may be lifted and swung upon the standard 44 clear of the path of the boxes and sustained in such elevated position by the projection 49 resting upon the stud 50. This presser block has pivotally secured near its lower edge two sets of arms 51 and 52 and between the members of the two sets are journaled rollers 53 and 54. In their lowermost position the periplieries of the rollers 53 and 54 extend slightly below the bottom of the presser block and the rollers are yieldingly held in this position by means of the springs 55, disposed between the arms and the projections 56, 56.

Further al( ngfatone side of the box pathway is arranged the bracket 57 having an angularly extending arm 58 within which is mounted for longitudinal and transverse adjustment by means of the set screw 59 a bar 60. A cover plate 61 is suspended from the bar 60 by means of the pinsy 62, 63 and held in yielding spaced relation thereto by means of the springs 64, 65 which encircle the pins 62 and 63.A The cover plate 61 is arranged to frictionally engage the edges of the boxes passing thereunder when the same have been upturned, the height of the cover plate being not only variable owing to the springs 65, but also subject to positive adjustment, the arm 58 being adjustable on the standard 57 by means of the slot 66. The approach to the space beneath the cover plate is controlled by the guard plate 67 which is adj ustable thereon by means of the set screw 68.

The 11p-ending of the boxes beneath the cover plate is accomplished by means of a finger 69 fixed upon the shaft 70, which shaft has connected theret'o a crank arm 71 pivoted at 72 to an actuating rod 73, the said rod being reciprocated by means of a cam roller 74 traveling in the groove 75 of the cam 16, the wiping mechanism vand its operation being best shown in Fig. 2.

Beneath the upper surface ofthe machine and slightly in advance of the discharge mouth lof the magazine is located an adhesive receptacle 76 containing a paste roll 77, a ductor roll 78, and a paste applying roll 79 intergeared as shownby means of the pinicns 80, 81 and 82. The pinion 80 has upon its outer face a pair of teeth 83, 83 adapted to be engaged by the pawl 84 carried by the pawl arm 85, fixed upon the shaft 86 of the paste roller 77. Upon the shaft 86 is also fixed a pinion 87 which is in mesh with the rack bar 24. At each re- -reciprocation of the rack ear whereby the paste rollers will be positively actuated to apply the paste to the bottoms 'of the boxes passing over` and in contact with the paste applying roller 79.

Immediately below thepathway of the boxes and in line with the presser block 45 is mounted the label carrier comprising a plunger head88 adapted to be reciprocated veiticall)7 between adjustable labeleretaining members 89, these members being preferably in the form of angle corner strips adapted'to receive and guide the corners of the label pack 90. Upon the rear retaining wall is mounted a plate 91 having at its upper edge a flange or lip which overlies the edge of the topmost label. This plate may be rigidly mounted upon the rear wall of the label magazine or it may be yieldingly mounted under the influence of the spring 92. The plunger head 88 isI carried by a spindle 93 threaded for a portion of `its length as indicated at 94,-' the lower end of the spindle at 95 being housed for f-longi tudinal adjustment within a tubular socket 96 of a cam rod 97 'provided with a roller. 98 which travels in the groove 99 of the-cam 100. Rotatably mounted upon the spindle 93 is a ratchet plate 101 the lower tubular portion 102 of which is interiorly threaded for engagement with thethreaded portion 94 of the spindle. The tubular portion 102 is split in its threaded portion as indicated and has a tendency to separate so as to bring its threads out of engagement with the threads of the spindle. T he lower'end of the split memberis ext'eriorly coned and ladapted to be received within the flaring opening of a clutch ring 103. A spring 104 seated upon the upper end of the socket 96 and bearing upwardly against the clutch ring 103 serves to contract the portions of the split member and maintain the threaded engagement between `said member and spin dle.

The upper face of the ratchet plate 101 is provided with ratchet teeth with which engages a pawl 105 carried by a rod 106 complished by means of the spring 111. At each actuation ot' the ratchet plate 101 itwill be readily understood that the spindle 93 with the plunger head 8S will be elevated slightly to advance the stack ot' labels in order to compensate for those removed from the top. lpo'n each revolution of the cani 100 the socket 96 within which the lower end of the spindle is mounted will be. reciprocated, the spindle and plunger head with the stack of labels moving downward out of Contact with the labels and when in its elevated position it will be slightly ad- .f'anced by the engagement of the pawl with the ratchet plate to compensate for Ithe depletion of the labels within the carrier. If, however, the supply of boxes is interrupted so that no labels are removed from the carrier the advancement of the latter will be interrupted by reason of the fact that as the top label engages with the lip of the plate 91 the advancing movement of the carrier is arrested before the ratchet plate reaches a position to be engaged by the pawl, this premature stopping ot t-he upward movement of the ratchet plate being permitted by the compression of the spring 101.

Vhen the stock of labels within the carrier is depleted and the plunger head has reached its predetermined most advanced position the further advancement of the same is precluded by so proportioning the threaded portion of the spindle that the threads will pass out of engagement with the threaded portion of the ratchet plate at the instant corresponding to the reaching of such advanced position by the plunger head so that there will be no further feeding forward of the carrier. Then it is desired to retract the carrier to its lowermost position in'order to place a new supply of labels within the magazine the engagement between the spindle and ratchet plate is released by pressing downward upon the clutch ring 103 compressing the spring 101 and permitting the two split portions 102 of the ratchet plate to spring out of engagement with the threads of the spindle whereupon the spindle and plunger head will drop instantly to its retracted position and upon the release of the clutch ring the threaded engagement will be resumed under the influence of the spring 101.

Beneath the path ot' the boxes and advantageously beneath the roller 51 is a wiping roller 112 which may have an absorbent periphery or be provided with avbelt 113 of absorbeent fabric such as canvas traveling over the idler roll 114. The roller 112 is adapted to be driven either directly or through the belt 112 by the friction of the boxes passing thereover, the periphery of the roll or the interposed belt serving to take up any surplus adhesive which may have escaped from beneath the label. The provision of the belt is advantageous in that any adhesive transferred thereto has an opportunity to become thoroughly dry before having traversed the roll 113 to again come into contact with another box. The belt also serves the additional purpose that if more than one label should happen to adhere to the box the belt will remove the extra label and deposit it within the receptacle 115 provided for this purpose.

rlhe operation of the machine as an entirety will be readily understood. The boxes feed by gravity from the box magazine -10 to a position in front of the pusher 31 and by the latter they are advanced in the series as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. '2 along the path between the guide rails. Passing beneath the roller 53 and above the paste applying roller T9 they have the paste applied to the bottom surface. They then pass beneath the presser block +15 and when in this position the stack of labels is brought into contact with the pasted box and the topmost label adheres thereto and is drawn from beneath the lip of the plate 91y by the advancing box. The box with its label in position then passes between the presser roller 5l and the wiping roller 112 having the surplus paste removed herefroui. rIhe box then reaches a position at the mouth ot the delivery chute and beneath the guard plate 6T. lt is then caught by the wiper finger G9 and up-ended to the position indicated in Fig. 2, and the several boxes as they enter the chute advance thelOO preceding boxes step by step, their prog# ress being retarded by frictional engagement of their upper edges with the cover plate G1 until they emerge at the right hand end of the machine completely labeled.

It will be observed that the machine is simple in construction, not likely to get out of repair, and that the operation of labeling the boxes is entirely automatic, provision being made for the adjustment of the machine to take boxes of various dimensions and also for the control of the label delivery in case the supply of boxes should be inter niitted from any cause.

It will be understood that by suitable changes in the arrangement and proportion of the parts the machine is adapted to the labeling of articles of various shapes and that depending upon the articles to be handled various kinds ot' labelsand different 120 adhesives will be suggested. Obviously therefore the term box is used in a generic sense to include various articles, the term paste is employed to include any suitable adhesive, and the term lab'el to designate a 125 sheet applied to the article whether plain, decorative or printed.

l claim:

1. In a labeling machine, a pair of parallel guide rails laterally adjustable to provide a Way through the machine for boxes of different width, a box magazine disposed at the entrance to the way and having two of its angularly disposed walls adjustable to vary the interior dimensions of the same, and a discharge chute including a vertically adj ustable cover plate disposed over the outlet portion of the way, in combination with label feeding. and aiiixing mechanism, means to propel the boxes through the machine past the labeling mechanism, and means to turn the boxes on edge and push the same through the dischargechute, substantially as described.

2. In a labeling machine, a pair of parallel j guide rails laterally adjustable to provide a way through the machine for boxes of different width, a box magazine disposed at the entrance to the way and having two of its angularly disposed walls adjustable to vary the interior dimensions of the same, and a discharge chute including a vertically adjustable cover plate disposed over the outlet portion of the way, in combination with label feeding and afixing mechanism, means to propel the boxes through the machine past the labeling mechanism, and means to turnthe boxes on edge and push the same through the dischargechute, said last named means comprising a wiping finger adjustable as to position and as to throw, and an adjustable guard plate at the entrance to the discharge chute, whereby to adapt the machine to boxes of varying size, substantially as described.

` 3. Ina labeling machine, a way for boxes, means to propel boxes along the way, mechanism tofeed the labels vertically to a position to contact with the boxes. and a presser block mounted above the label feeding mechanism in a position to bear by gravity on the passing boxes while being labeled, substantiallyl as described. j i

4. In a labeling machine, a way for boxes, means to propel boxes along the'way, mecha-nism'to feed the labels vertically to a position to contact with the boxes, and a presser block mounted abovethe label feeding mechanism in a position to bear by gravity on the passing boxes while being labeled, and anti-friction rollers mounted on the block and adapted to bear upon the boxes, substantially as described.

5. In a labeling machine, a Way for boxes, means to propel boxes along the Way, mechanism to feed the labels vertically to a posii tion to contact with the boxes, and a presser block mounted above the label feeding mechanism in a position to bear by gravity on.

the passing boxes while being labeled, and anti-friction rollers mounted on the block and' adapted to bear upon the boxes before and after labeling, substantially as described.

6. In a labeling machine, a way for boxes,

means to propel boxes along the way, mechanism to feed the labels vertically to a position to contact with the boxes, a standard projecting above the way at one side thereof, a presser block slidably mounted on the standard and arranged to swing from'an idle position at one side of the way to an active position overlying the way above the label feeding mechanism bearing by gravity on the boxes while being labeled, substantially as described.

7. In a labeling machine, a way for boxes, means to Apropel boxes along the way, mechanism to feed the labels vertically to a position to contact with the boxes, a standard projecting above the way at one side thereof, a presser block slidably mounted on the standard and arranged to swing from an idle position at one side of the way to an active position overlying the wayabove the label feeding mechanism bearing by gravity on the boxes while being labeled. and a detent device arranged to support the presser block in an elevated position upon the standard, substantially as described.

8. In a labeling machine, a wav for boxes, means to propel boxes along the way, mechanism to feed the labels vertically to a position to vcontact with the boxes, a standard projecting above the way at one side thereof, a presser bloclr slidably mounted on the standard and arranged to swing from an idle position at one side of the way to an active position overlying the-Way above the label feeding mechanism bearing by gravity on the boxes while being labeled, an-d a detent device arranged to support the presser block in an elevated position upon the standard, said detent device comprising a stud carried by the standard anda projection carried by the block and adapted to overlie the stud when in an elevated idle position, substantially as described.

9. In a labeling machine, a way for boxes, means to propel boxes along the Way, paste applying mechanism and label feeding mechanism arranged in succession along the path of the boxes through the machine, a presser block mounted above the label feeding mechanism -in a position to bear by gravity on the passing boxes while being labeled, and a roller carried by the block and bearing upon the boxes While being coated with paste. substantially as described:

10. In a labeling machine, a Way for boxes, means to propel boxes along the way, paste applying mechanism and label feeding' mechanism arranged in succession along the path ofthe-boxes through the machine, a presser block mounted above the label feeding mechanism in a position to bear by gravity on the passing boxes while being labeled, arms pivotallv mounted on the presser block and projecting therefrom, a roller journaled in the arms, and a springbearing upon the arms to press the roller yieldinply against the boxes while being coated with paste, substantially as described.

11. Ina labelingmachine,a Way for boxes, means to propel boxes alone; the Way, paste applyingmechanism and label feedingr mechanism and paste removing mechanism arranged in suc cession along the path of the boxes through the machine, a presser block mounted above the label feeding mechanism in a position to bear by ,gravity on the passiimr boxes while being labeled, tWo sets of arms pivoted on the block and extending to positions above the paste applying and paste removing mechanisms, rollers journaled between the two sets of arms, and springs bearing' upon the arms to hold the rollers yieldinfrlv againstthe boxes while being coated with paste and while having the surplus paste removed therefrom, substantially as described.

1Q. ln a labeling machine, the combination with box feedingr and box delivering mechanism, of a reciprocatory label carrier, and mechanism separate from the box feedinsr mechanismfor progressively advancingthe label carrier, and including a ratchet and pawl device. a pavvl actuating arm, a reciprocatorv rod, and a tappet carried by the rod and arranged tovengage the arm, substantialv as described.

1S. ln a labelingr machine, the Combination with box feeding and box delivering mechanism. of a reciprocatory label carrier, and mechanism separate from the box feedin;r mechanism for progressively advancing the label carrier, and including);l a ratchet and pavvl device, a pawl actuating arm, a reciprocatory box delivery operating rod, and a tappet carried by the rod and arranged to engage and aetuate the arm in isochronism with the box delivery, substantially as described.

14. In labeling-machine, the combination of box-feeding, box-delivery, and labelaflixing,r mechanism, and a friction-drive wiping absorbent -contacting means traversed by the freshly labeled boxes and adapted to remove'the surplus adhesive therefrom, substantially as described.

l5. In a labeling machine, the combination with box feeding, box delivery, and label aflixin,f r mechanism, of a wiping roller traversed by the freshly labeled boxes, and a belt carried by the roller in contact with the boxes to remove the surplus adhesive therefrom, substantially as described.

1G. In a labeling machine, the combination with box feeding` box delivery, and label ailiximgT mechanism, of a friction driven wiping roller traversed by the freshly labeled boxes. and a belt of absorbent fabric carried by the roller in Contact with the boxes to remove the surplus adhesive therefrom, substantially as described.

Tn testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribin;T witnesses.

MICHAEL J. MILMOE.

Vv'i'tnesses FRED. G. BROOKS, Il. M. PATTERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

